The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 89: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

hc, et RRP PCED TS SRL A CS STEED ETA an NRT THE MYSTERIES. 74 disguise;—and the boxes were thronged with occu- pants, some ia masquerade attire, and others in ball- dresses. The magnificent crystal chandeliers sus- pended to the ceiling and the candelabra projecting from around the tiers of boxes, flooded the vast interior of the building with an also overpowering lustre—so that everything was penetrated as it were with light, and the countless beings gathered there moved about like butterflies and gorgeous insects in the noon-day sun. The music was playing—and the body of harmony, with its variations of sweetness and grandeur, pathos and excitement, seemed to fill every part of the the- atre. The atmosphere was warm and perfumed— the murmuring of soft voices formed an under- current of sound dominated by the superior swell of the superb music—and the eye of the beholder wandered with ineflable a i over the fairy scene. Lord Montgomery slowly round the arena, keeping close to the lowest tier of boxes in order that he might command a view of all the disguised forms, male or female, that were moving about upon that elastic floor: then he mingled in the crowd itself, ex- changing jests with some and provoking witty repar- tees from othera—but still without attracting the special notice of any particular lady. At length, retiring from the thickest of the crowd and posting himeelf near the musicians, he began to scrutinise in detail all the female masques who seemed to be invested with any degree of interest. But searcely had he stationed himself in that epot which appeared 90 convenient for his survey, when an elegant female, dressed as a flower-girl, passed rapidly by him; and from behind the black satin mask which covered her countenance, she darted upon him a look that seemed intended to pierce through his disguise, impenetrable though it really were. Mon followed her with his eyes as she plunged into the midst of the crowd ;—and he saw enough of her to excite the liveliest interest in his soul. She was tall in stature; and her exquisitely- modelled form appeared to be alinost visible through the picturesque attire which she wore—so admirably was it fitted to her shape and so well did it develop the fluent and rounded proportions of those very contours which it concealed. The short pettloosts displayed the sculptured delicacy of the feet and ankles and the robust swell of the legs; and on one of the white and beauteously moulded arms, which were bare, hung a basket of artificial flowera, Her hair was of a rich dark brown; and as much of the neck, throat, and bosom as met the eye of the be- holder, was of a dassiing whitences. Nothing, in fine, could exceed the purity of that polished skin— nothing could be more charming than that snowy eomplexion which belonged to flesh evidently plump and warm with the vigorous health of youth. Montgomery was so struck by her appearance and éo ravished by the graces of her person, that he would have staked his soul upon the belief that her countenance was of a corresponding beauty. So lost in rapture was he that he seemed transfixed to the spot; and when he thought of following her, it was too late—she had disappeared amidst the thickest of the maltitude of masgues. But it instantancously struck him that this must be the Jady who had sent the domino and who expected to meet Lord Florimel beneath that disguise ;—and then, recollecting how keen was the glance whieb she threw upon him and ee how precipitate was the immediate retreat, he said te himself, “ The adventure is a failure! She saw that mine was not the stature of Lord Florimel—and she has departed in mingled rage and disappoint- ment !”’ But scarcely had he made this reflection, when he was startled with a thrill of eestatic feeling that passed like an electric shock through his entire frame, on beholding the graceful Flower Girl once more issue from the crowd and ap- proach the spot where he was standing. Her pace was now slow and her step somewhat hesitat- ing; and even from behind that mask which furmed so impervious a veil to conceal any confusion which she might have experienced, did she evidently send forth agitated glances, But the soft and graceful balanoing of her gait—the floating eleganoe of her form—anod the seductive charm of all hee move- ments, riyetted the attention of Lord Montgomery and he thought withia himself that if this lady should indeed the heroine of the present ad- venture, no effort that he could possibly make to possess her qught to be spared. For to his memory rushed all the glowing deseriptions whioh Florime! had given him of thas night of mystery, love, and voluptuousness,—thoee four hours of frenzied bitgs, thrilling ecstacies, and burning kisees; and Mont- gomery said to himself, “My God! if this be the woman whose amorous proficiency planged Florimel into a never-to-be-forgotiten paradise, I would sooner lose my own soul to Satan than the chanee of enjoying the mingled intoxication and deliriam of her warm embraces and furious caresses.” And while these reflections ewept through the brain of Earl Montgomery, the Flower Girl—for so must we denominate the charming unknowa— was still advanoing towards him;—while he re- mained motionless asa statue, but devouring her with the ardent looks which he threw upon her from behind his mask. For as yet be could not be sare that she was purposely aceosting him—nor was it ao unmistakable certainty that he was indeed an object of attention or interest on her part. She might be moving in that direction in the abstraction of her thoughts—or she might believe him to be some one for whom she was looking, and yet not have in view the aims which he hoped and sus- pected. While he was making these additional reflections, she approached within three yards of thse spot where he was standing : then she passed him by at a pace so slow as to convince him that she was only seeking the leisure and the opportunity to coa- template him with attention—for her eyes, shining like twin-diamonds through the mask, remained fixed upon him the whole time. “Yes — she ie the lady of this adventure,” thought Montgomery withia himself. “She re- cognises the comino—but sho hesitates because I am taller than Florimel. Would that I were of a stature as femiaine as his !” The Flower Girl passed by the nobleman and advanced as far as the music-stands at the extre- mity of the stage; then turning abruptly round, she again approached him, slackening her pace as she drew nearer towards the spot where he still stood motionless. It struck him that he would speak to her: but he was afraid that he could not sufficiently imitate Florimel’s voice in order to de- ceive her—and he saw the monstrous imprudence DOO SS ——— co